This invention relates to resilient planar support systems, in particular to support systems for mattresses.
Spring supports for mattresses commonly have coil springs with their upper and lower terminations secured to the respective upper and lower terminations of adjacent springs. The terminations of the springs thus define flexible upper and lower surfaces This connection of adjacent spring terminations causes undesirable effects, however.
One undesirable effect is the xe2x80x9chammock effect.xe2x80x9d That is, the plane of support slopes toward the center of applied pressure. Essentially, this creates a lack of conformity to the body resting on the upper plane, or surface, of the mattress, similar to the action of a trampoline. A trampoline will depress in response to an applied force, but it cannot conform to the contours of the body applying the force, such as a human body.
Traditional mattresses or support systems have other disadvantages resulting from this common construction. For example, they lack the ability to provide adequate support in areas between the points of greatest curvature of a body resting upon them. This can cause a sleeper to have a poor sleeping posture and inhibit blood circulation at the points of greatest curvature, such as hips, elbows, and buttocks. Such typical mattresses are bulky to ship and store, and their size cannot be changed once manufactured.
Typical prior art patents illustrate the common construction of mattresses. Examples are Hegedus, U.S. Pat. No. 178,770, and Roher, U.S. Pat. No. 2,661,486. These patents disclose mattresses having springs connected at their upper and lower terminations. Propst, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,280,410, disclose the use of bellows springs which are not connected to adjacent springs at their upper terminations. However, the bellows springs lack lateral stability, unless lateral stability is provided by a cover which is to be xe2x80x9cflexible, but not stretchable.xe2x80x9d This feature creates the same hammock effect noted above for the common construction. Knittel, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,263,247 also discloses bellows springs where lateral stability is sought by the abutment of blocks integral to the springs. The friction and binding so created limits the desired effect of independent spring movement.
The invention solves these problems by providing a support system that eliminates the hammock effect and gives adequate support to all contours of a body resting upon it. It adequately supports areas between points of greatest curvature on a body. The beneficial effect to human sleepers is good sleeping posture, good blood circulation at the hips, elbows, and buttocks, and a deep cushioning effect. Also, the preferred embodiment is modular, so that mattresses may be constructed of almost arbitrary size, as well as taken apart for easy cleaning.
The support system of the preferred embodiment comprises a plurality of columns. The columns have first and second ends; the columns further comprise at least two telescoping sections. There is at least one means for extension disposed between the telescoping sections. This means for extension urges the first and second ends of the columns apart to the limit of extension for the means for extension.
The support system has a base; the columns are connected to the base at their first ends; and, the second ends of the columns define a plane of support when the means for extension are at the limit of their extension. The second ends of the columns are moveable perpendicular to the plane of support independently of one another.
In the preferred embodiment, the telescoping columns may be assembled into arrays in separate modules. These modules may be assembled to form larger support systems of various shapes.